Linyanti Bush Camp Review

The camp is in a wonderful position overlooking Linyanti Marsh and the tents were luxurious, including a bath with gold fittings outside the tent (but we did stick to the showers inside!).

The transfer from the airstrip to the camp was like a game drive with sightings of elephant, giraffe, wart hog, kudu, impala, fish eagle and harrier hawk. First day then included kudu grazing very close to the tent and baboons playing in the tree above us (and giving us an early wake-up call!). As we had come to expect from previous lodges, we were given a very friendly welcome by Oliver and the staff and the food was exceptionally good.

Our guide, Wina was in every way superb. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable, we got to know him very well during our 3 days there and were sad to say goodbye. Countless highlights: several close sightings of lion, including a large pride with cubs feeding from an elephant carcass - day and night time; coming across a female leopard that had just killed an impala and watched as it dragged the carcass across a stream to feed her young in the reeds(?); magical boat trip that ended listening to the sounds of the african evening (including the tinkling of bell frogs) with a beautiful sunset on 1 side and full moon reflected in the water on the other; drink stop under a tree usually used by elephants who came to check us out; good sightings of wild dog, roan antelope, banded, dwarf and slender mongoose, hoopoe etc etc. Unforgetable!

Linyanti Bush Camp

Ollie and Kirsten (or was it Kristen? Never was quite sure of her name) had only been here for a few months and lacked the ease we experienced at the other camps although they were quite welcoming. I'm sure that will come with time.

Overall we enjoyed our stay and our guide Esse did a great job finding the animals we were most interested in and told us a lot about their habits and behavior.

One thing I'd like to note, the use of electric lights in the main area attracted quite a few bugs during our first dinner. A generator problem caused our second dinner to be by lantern and candle light and that was much less buggy and more enjoyable.

Linyanti Bush Camp and Linyanti Ebony review

Another excellent guide. On the way back to the lodge, having picked me up from the airstrip, he took me to see 2 male lions. Guests already at the camp said there was not much to see in the area besides elephants. They had previously stayed at Kwai camp and I gathered had seen literally everything in their 3 day stay. I disagreed with their assessment of the reserve. There was plenty of different birds around the lodge and although the mammal wildlife was dominated by elephants and lions it was the only reserve where I saw a Roan and a Sable antelope. It was also the reserve where I was bitten the most by insects. Evening meals were in fact extremely uncomfortable. Candles were placed on the table and by the end of the meal the table cloth was completely covered in insects - not a pleasant experience.

In touch with nature at Linyanti Bush Camp

This was our fourth camp, so, by now we were needing a bit of exercise - rather than sitting in vehicles all day. The Guides arranged two walks for us (with armed guard) and this was a great experience. We saw elephant up close and were able to distinguish different animals by their droppings.

The Linyanti river has now provided a lush riverside with loads of hippo and elephant strolling around at night. Our guide (Esse) was the most knowledgeable we learned a lot from him.

Linyanti Bush Camp should not be missed

Our overall experience at Linyanti Bush Camp was outstanding. We were very impressed by the approach of the Camp to working with and supporting the local villages.

As a Bush Camp it gave us a taste of living close to the Bush in a tent, but with very good facilites therein. Everyone was so helpful and friendly. Isaiah and Bulter were our guides and we couldn't fault them for their attention to us. Being on the edge of the Linyanti marshes we had outstanding game viewings but at the same time saw the life on the water.

We would commend them on their new water based activities, both the mokoros and the boat, as enhancing the experience. The food was good, varied and plentiful. Isaac, the Manager, was helpful and friendly.

While we were there the wild dogs made an impala killing right in front of us, while we were having breakfast. An unforgettable experience.

Linyanti Bush Camp review

The camp was made even more remote by virtue of the fact that the normal airstrip was being repaired, necessitating a three hour drive - effectively an extended game drive - to it when we arrived. This was not ideal following an overnight flight from UK and transfer to Maun, but was not a serious inconvenience.

The camp itself was excellent and the staff particularly welcoming. Isaac was as good a guide as we have been fortunate enough to encounter in many safari holidays. A game walk was memorable for getting fairly close to a large herd of buffalo making its way to the river, followed by a close encounter with a bull elephant. Isaac handled a potentiallly hazardous situation with considerable skill.The only serious problem with the camp was the plague of insects after dark, which was quite an issue over dinner.

Often after the first rainfall of the season in Botswana (usually around the second week in November), insects rise from where they waited out the dry season in great numbers. This is especially true of flying ants (termites) as they leave their colony in search of mates. Insects are attracted to light and can become quite a nuisance over an open dinner table whilst on safari. On the plus side, this bounty of insects attracts a variety of colourful birds and you can watch their fascinating aerial aerobatics as they catch insects mid flight.

We have always believed that acting responsibly is the only way to approach tourism and we're one of
the few companies to hold AITO's original coveted 5-star status for responsible tourism. It's a lead
that others are now following.